On February 26, 2026, Virginia Chapter Fellows Jessica Burgess, MD, FACS; William Ward, Jr., MD, FACS; Laura Fluke, MD, FACS, and Jason Wilson, MD, FACS and surgical residents Kyle Alexander, MD; Vashti Bandy, MD; and Morgan Hopp, MD, in partnership with the Medical Society of Virginia (MSV), gathered at the State Capitol in Richmond for Advocacy Day and directly engaged with over a dozen legislators on issues affecting patient care and the practice of medicine, including: opposition to medical malpractice pre-judgment interest (SB 536), support for banning non-compete agreements (HB 627/SB 128), strengthening workplace violence reporting requirements (HB 1489), and advancing medical student loan repayment initiatives (SB 625). Meetings were coordinated based on practice locations to facilitate direct engagement with elected officials, reinforcing the critical role of surgeon advocacy in shaping sound health policy and protecting patients across the Commonwealth.
Many thanks to our members who took time out of their day to advocate for these important issues!






